That Boy

This is amazing to me because every time I look at Phillip, I swear it flashes all the dirty little thoughts I'm having about him.

I have fun catching up with Katie and her husband, Eric. They just bought a new house and are all excited about it. Lisa brought her new boyfriend, Parker. I like him a lot, and they seem really good together. Other than her big crush on Da

I'm happy for her.

Hell, I'm happy for everyone today.

I can't seem to wipe the happy off of my face.

Brandon, Joey and Neil are here too, and a bunch of other old friends.

I get the big spread of food out onto the kitchen island. While I'm doing that, I can't help but watch Phillip. He's talking and laughing. He's got such an easy way about him. He makes everyone feel comfortable and welcome, and he's so sweet and so handsome and so…..everything I need.

Pretty soon the game gets started.

After getting everyone else situated, I realize that there is nowhere left to sit, except the floor. So I get brave and plop down across Phillip's lap. He's sitting in a big cushy chair, and I sit across the arms in the opposite direction. I figured this move would surely blow our cover, but no one seemed to think it was all that unusual.

I am really worried about my friends.

They are not very perceptive people.

A little before halftime, I run to the garage to get more ice out of the dreaded freezer. As I come around the corner, I nearly collide with Phillip, whose hands are filled with bottles of beer. He sets the beer down, grabs me around the waist and kisses me wildly.

“Do you know how badly I've been wanting to do that?” he asks, when he finally stops kissing me.

“Yeah, I think I do.”

He caresses my cheek and declares, “I love you.”

Shit. Those three little words have woken up my previously dormant brain.

“Phillip, don't say that. Okay?”

“Why not? I mean it.”

“Phillip, I know you love me. I love you too, but do me a favor.” He starts to roll his eyes at me, but I give him a stern look and say, “This is important to me. Please don't tell me that you love me until you've spent some time with me, and we have a better idea of whether this will all work out.”

A flash of irritation crosses his face. He thinks I'm looking for a way out, but I am so not.

“Look, I just want you to wait until you can honestly tell me that you're IN love with me. And I'm not talking friend love either.” Then chicken shit in me goes out onto a big and scary limb. I bite my lip and say, “I'm talking REAL love, like the forever kind.”

He smiles at me and kisses me again, very sweetly.

“I can live with that. Mostly because it means you're serious about this, about us.”

He kisses the tip of my nose.

“It also tells me you're actually thinking about forever with me. I really like the way that sounds.”

“We should probably get back in there.” I tell him, but he ignores that.

“So you were desperate to be with me last night, huh?” He teases, then flips my hair behind my shoulder and kisses my exposed neck. He's never go

“Yeah, I was prepared to beg,” I say flatly, trying to keep my cool. But what I really want to do is kick everyone out of the house, drag him upstairs, and see if I can make him desperate.

“You know, I think I definitely heard some begging last night.” He gives me a huge grin.

I laugh at that because I know exactly what he is referring to.

And, uh, I was begging.

He's got his hands up the back of my Husker shirt, and I swear my skin is practically sizzling. I'm tempted to look over my shoulder to see if there is smoke, but instead I come back with, “Oh really? Well, what I want to know is when you got so religious? I haven't heard God's name spoken that many times in church.”

We laugh at each other and Phillip says, “You know, I keep wishing this game would just get over so all these people would go home. I couldn't care less if they win or lose.”

Phillip doesn't care if the Huskers win or lose?

WOW!

Now that's saying something.

In fact, that may be the best compliment I've gotten in my entire life.

Sunday morning, Phillip and I are awakened around ten by my loudly ringing phone. Yeah, it's unusual for Phillip to sleep in, but I did keep him up late last night.

I grope around for the handset, can't find it, so I hit the speaker button on the base.

“Hello,” I say groggily.

“JADE!” Lori's screaming voice echoes into my room.

My God, she can't possibly know about Phillip and me already.

Can she?

“You don't sound awake. Are you still in bed?”

“Uh, yeah, but that's okay. What's up?”

“AAAHHHH. I AM SOOOO EXCITED!!!!!! OHHHH. I JUST CAN'T BELIEVE IT. YOU'RE. NEVER. GOING. TO. BELIEVE. IT!!!!!”

“Believe what?”

“I. AM. PREGNANT!!!!!!”

“Oh, Lori, that is so awesome!” I look at Phillip, who just rolled over toward me when he heard the news. He has a great expression on his face, and I'm so excited I start to say, “Phil…” Then I stop quickly.

Because I am not in bed with Phillip right now, as far as my friends know.

“What did you say, Jade? Did you say…?”

I interrupt her, “I said that's awesome, filipping awesome.”

“No, you didn't, you said Fil….OH MY GOD! Is Phillip there? Am I on speakerphone? Phillip, if you're there, you'd better answer me.”

I shake my head no at Phillip, but he doesn't do as I say.

Sure, now he's a rebel.

“Yeah, I'm here, Lori,” Phillip confesses. “Congratulations, this is so great. I bet Da

“Um, well, he doesn't exactly know yet.”

“He doesn't?” I ask surprised.

“NO!” she says, and starts talking very fast. “I know I should have told him first, but after he left for the game this morning, I was getting ready and realized it's been a long time since I've had my period, and I looked at the date and saw I was like two weeks late! I've been so busy trying to get this house all painted and decorated that I hadn't even noticed. So I quick ran to the drug store and bought a home pregnancy test. I was standing here alone when it said PREGNANT, and I just had to tell someone! And I didn't want to call Da

“HEY, WAIT A MINUTE! Did you say you were still IN BED?”

Damn!

I am so busted.

“Uh, yeah,” I admit sheepishly.

Shit.

“FINALLY! It's about time! Phillip, how did you finally talk her into it? I told you it would work out. She is just so stubborn.”

“Hey! You're on speakerphone. I can hear you.”

Phillip kisses me and says teasingly, “I didn't have to do anything, Lori. She just couldn't resist me any longer and begged for me.”

Uh, that's not exactly right.

So I stand up for myself and say, “I probably shouldn't bring this up now that you're pregnant and stuck with him, but you should know your wonderful husband is a manipulative liar.”

An evil laugh fills my room. “You mean the little Monica exaggeration? Oh, Jadyn, honey, that was all me.”

Phillip laughs. He thinks this is just hysterical.

I shake my head. “So you're both liars. It's no wonder you're perfect for each other.”

I see I'm not going to win this one. It's a rare thing, but I know when I'm beat.